Joel Osteen Exposed

Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria lead the Lakewood church of Houston, Texas. The church is situated in the Compaq Center, the former home of the NBA's Houston Rockets. Some have claimed that Osteen supports the controversial Prosperity Gospel, among preaching many other heresies and outrageous statements, and that he focuses on universal acceptance with absolutely no condemnation of sin whatsoever. He has responded to these allegations by claiming that by focusing on broader issues, the sermons are understandable to the average person. In this article, we will examine some of these scandalous statements uttered by Joel Osteen.

Joel Osteen - Life and Biography

Joel Scott Osteen
(born March 5, 1963) is an American author, televangelist, and the
senior "pastor" of Lakewood church in Houston, Texas. His
so called ministry reaches over seven million broadcast media viewers
weekly in over 100 nations around the world. Married in 1987, Joel
Osteen and his wife, Victoria Iloff, have two children, Jonathan and
Alexandra.

Osteen heads what has been
called the largest church congregation in the United States, the
30,000-member Lakewood church of Houston, Texas.

Osteens father, John,
founded Lakewood church back in 1959. The son of a Texas cotton
farmer, John Osteen was a Southern Baptist minister before his faith
took on a more charismatic turn in the late 1950s. He founded his own
nondenominational church in a predominantly African-American
neighborhood in Houston, and over the next four decades shepherded it
into a dynamic, thriving congregation. The senior Osteens feel-good
message, in which he exhorted churchgoers to have deep faith, and the
blessings of the material world—good health, prosperity, and a
solid family unit—would be theirs, caught on with Houstonians,
and the church had grown to 5,000 members by 1979.

Joel Osteen inherited
Houstons Lakewood church and its television ministry in 1999 from his
late father. Joel expanded both the church and the TV ministry, wrote
a hugely popular book in 2004, and then took his "live at your
full potential" message on the road to sold-out sports arenas.
Osteen says God wants to show "incredible favor" to those
who "start expecting God's blessings, start anticipating
promotion and supernatural increase" in all areas of life.
Osteen has no college or seminary degree. He studied briefly at Oral
Roberts University, then worked behind the scenes in Lakewoods TV
ministry until his fathers death in 1999.

Joel Osteen - Scandals and Heresies

Joel Osteen to
Oprah: Homosexuality Is Sin — But Gay People Will Get Into
Heaven

On Sunday evening, January
8, 2012, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Osteen on her new program,
"Oprah's Next Chapter," where he delved deeply into his
views on homosexuality and sin.

"Will
a gay person be accepted into heaven, as you see it?," Oprah
asked the famed 'pastor'. "I believe they will," he
responded. "Because I believe that, um, you know, if we, you
have to have forgiveness for your sins, but sometimes we look at
gay being, you know, a bigger sin than being proud or being, you
know, not telling the truth. I believe that homosexuality is shown
as a sin in the Scripture, I do..." Osteen explained.

Joel Osteen here states the modern-day
heresy that a homosexual person can be saved while being a homosexual.
However, according to the Bible, a person who dies as a homosexual cannot
be saved nor have his sins forgiven unless he first actually ceases to be
a homosexual.

One of the earliest
historical records of the existence of ex-homosexuals justified [unto
salvation] in the name of the Lord is found in the same chapter of the
Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Church (approx. 59 AD) in the very next verse:

1
Corinthians 6:11, "And such were some of you [meaning:
they are no longer]: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Homosexuality is clearly condemned
throughout the Bible. In fact, Sodomy is one of the sins that cries
to heaven for vengeance. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this
very sin.

Jude
1:7, "As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighboring cities, in
like manner, having given themselves to fornication, and going
after strange flesh, were made an example, suffering the
punishment of eternal fire."

Leviticus
18:22, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it
is abomination."

Leviticus
20:13, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a
woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall
surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Deuteronomy
23:17, "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nora sodomite of the sons of Israel."

1
Kings 14:24, "And there were also sodomites in the land: and
they did according to all the abominations of the nations which
the LORD cast out before the children of Israel."

1
Kings 15:11-12, "And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of
the LORD, as did David his father. And he took away the sodomites
out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had
made."

Yet, Joel Osteen continued his
conversation with Oprah by comparing the mortal sin of homosexuality
with being proud or not telling the truth:

Osteen:
"Sometimes we look at gay being a bigger sin than being proud or
not telling the truth. I don't think God categorizes sins."

The Bible teaches that
there are mortal sins and lesser (venial) sins.

Mortal sins destroy the
state of justification. That's why Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Cor. 6:9, and
Ephesians 5:5-8 teach that people who commit such mortal sins lose
"their inheritance" in Heaven (justification). Examples of
mortal sins are fornication, murder, drunkenness, lying, cheating,
stealing, fraud, theft, masturbation, contraception, sexual
immorality, looking at pornography, giving full consent to impure
thoughts, homosexuality, heresy, idolatry, violating the
commandments, etc. If people die in the state of mortal sin, they
will be damned. 1 John 5:16 distinguishes between sins which lead to
death and sins which don't.

1
John 5:16, "If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not
unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them
that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not
say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and
there is a sin not unto death."

In their consciences
people know that there is a great difference between murder and
something such as unjustifiable outbursts of anger or impatience. The
former is clearly a mortal sin, while the latter is a venial sin.
(Anger can also be justifiable, by the way.)

Venial sins (i.e., lesser
offenses against God) weaken the soul, and make it more vulnerable to
mortal sin. Mortal sins destroy the state of justification and put
one in a state of damnation.

1
Corinthians 3:17, "If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye
are."

This speaks of those who
die in mortal sin: unjustified. They will be lost. Mortal sin can be
forgiven only by confession
to a valid priest, as proven from John 20:23. It can also be forgiven
by perfect contrition with the intention to go to confession.

Joel Osteen teaches
that Mormons are Christians

Joel Osteen is in the news
once again, this time for saying that Mormonism is just another form
of Christianity. Osteen was speaking to The Washington Times in an
interview that covered a variety of issues. On Mormonism, Joel said:

"I
believe that [Mormons] are Christians . . . . I don't know if it's
the purest form of Christianity, like I grew up with. But you know
what, I know Mormons. I hear Mitt Romney — and I've never met
him — but I hear him say, 'I believe Jesus is the son of God,'
'I believe he's my savior,' and that's one of the core issues."

"I'm
sure there are other issues that we don't agree on. But you know, I
can say that the Baptists and the Methodists and the Catholics don't
all agree on everything. So that would be my take on it."

Back
in 2007, he told Chris Wallace of FOX News that Mormons are indeed
Christians:

"Well,
in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ
as his savior, and that's what I believe, so, you know, I'm not the
one to judge the little details of it. So I believe they are."

In
a remarkable exchange with Chris Wallace, Osteen muddied the waters
further:

WALLACE:
So, for instance, when people start talking about Joseph Smith, the
founder of the church, and the golden tablets in upstate New York,
and God assumes the shape of a man, do you not get hung up in those
theological issues?

OSTEEN:
I probably don't get hung up in them because I haven't really studied
them or thought about them. And you know, I just try to let God be
the judge of that. I mean, I don't know.

We would point out to
Osteen that Joseph Smith (the founder of
Mormonism) received a "revelation" to reinstitute polygamy.
This contradicts the teaching of Jesus Christ (Mt. 19:4-9). Thus, Mormons
follow the false prophet Joseph Smith and deny the teaching of Christ.
They need to heed Galatians 1:8-9. It teaches us to reject anyone who
would preach a new gospel, which is exactly what Joseph Smith did. It
should also be pointed out that Mormons believe that the Church of Christ
was founded by Jesus and then defected shortly after, only to be reconstituted
in the latter days. That contradicts the promises of Christ to His Church
(Mt. 16:18-20; Mt. 28:20): that the Church is indefectible and that
He would always be with it. In addition, Mormons deny the central core
teachings of Christianity: the Trinity and the Divinity of Jesus Christ—
denying that Jesus Christ is true God and that He is not equal to the
Father. Mormons are totally antichrist and of the devil! There are other
things that could be mentioned about wacky Mormon beliefs,
but they can be found without too much trouble by those who want more information.

Joel Osteen will NOT
Confess that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of Salvation

On Larry King Live, the
following very disturbing conversation occurred with Larry King and
Joel Osteen:

KING:
What if you're Jewish or Muslim, you don't accept Christ at all?

OSTEEN:
You know, I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to
heaven. I don't know...

At this point, even Larry
King appears surprised by Osteen's answer. Then Larry asks Osteen a
question to explain his previous answer. And again Osteen openly
denies that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of salvation.

KING:
If you believe you have to believe in Christ? They're wrong, aren't
they?

OSTEEN:
Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong. I believe
here's what the Bible teaches and from the Christian faith this is
what I believe. But I just think that only God will judge a
person's heart. I spent a lot of time in India with my father. I
don't know all about their religion. But I know they love God.
And I don't know. I've seen their sincerity. So I don't know.
I know for me, and what the Bible teaches, I want to have a
relationship with Jesus.

Again Osteen denies the
redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice, he praises the
pagan, false-religion of India as "I know they love God."
Unbelievable. . .

I'm sure some reading this
are thinking, "Well, maybe Larry caught Joel Osteen flat footed.
Maybe Osteen wasn't prepared." If Osteen only had been given
another chance to testify of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus
Christ, he'd get it straightened out.

Osteen did get another
chance. . .

After Larry King opened
the phone lines, a person asks Joel to clarify his previous statement
(which we just viewed). Again Osteen could easily clear this up.

CALLER:
Hello, Larry. You're the best, and thank you, Joe -- Joel -- for your
positive messages and your book. I'm wondering, though, why you
side-stepped Larry's earlier question about how we get to heaven? The
Bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light
and the only way to the father is through him. That's not really a
message of condemnation but of truth.

OSTEEN:
Yes, I would agree with her. I believe that. . .

KING:
So then a Jew is not going to heaven?

OSTEEN:
No. Here's my thing, Larry, is I can't judge somebody's heart.
You know? Only God can look at somebody's heart, and so -- I don't
know. To me, it's not my business to say, you know, this one is
or this one isn't. I just say, here's what the Bible teaches and I'm
going to put my faith in Christ. And I just I think it's wrong
when you go around saying, you're saying you're not going, you're not
going, you're not going, because it's not exactly my way. I'm
just...

KING:
But you believe your way.

OSTEEN:
I believe my way. I believe my way with all my heart.

KING:
But for someone who doesn't share it is wrong, isn't he?

OSTEEN:
Well, yes. Well, I don't know if I look at it like that. I
would present my way, but I'm just going to let God be the judge of
that. I don't know. I don't know.

KING:
So you make no judgment on anyone?

OSTEEN:
No. But I...

And here Larry really
tosses Joel a question. How about a God-defying atheist? And
again, Osteen will not confess that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way of
salvation.

KING:
What about atheists?

OSTEEN:
You know what, I'm going to let someone -- I'm going to let God be
the judge of who goes to heaven and hell. I just -- again, I
present the truth, and I say it every week. You know, I believe
it's a relationship with Jesus. But you know what? I'm not going
to go around telling everybody else if they don't want to believe
that that's going to be their choice. God's got to look at your own
heart. God's got to look at your heart, and only God knows that.

Osteen's refusal to
confess the sole redemptive salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ sent
shock waves among many of Osteen's followers. Because of the amount
of email and letters questioning his statements, Osteen issued an
apology on his web site, stating:

"Many
of you have called, written or e-mailed regarding my recent
appearance on Larry King Live. I appreciate your comments and value
your words of correction and encouragement."

"It
was never my desire or intention to leave any doubt as to what I
believe and Whom I serve. I believe with all my heart that it is only
through Christ that we have hope in eternal life. I regret and
sincerely apologize that I was unclear on the very thing in which
I have dedicated my life."

I find it ironic and
demeaning that Osteen "was unclear on the very thing in which I
have dedicated my life." He was not UNCLEAR. He was crystal
clear. He consistently and clearly rejected that the Lord Jesus
Christ was the ONLY possible way of salvation!

No practicing Atheist, Jew or
Muslim will ever be saved without the Faith in Jesus Christ and baptism.
Joel Osteen is just a total apostate and heretic.

It must be made clear that
false preachers and heretics always contradicts themselves, and
Osteen clearly is a heretic that denies and contradicts the Bible on
several core issues.

Galatians
1:8-9, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel
to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be
anathema. As we said before, so now I say again: If anyone preach to
you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be
anathema."

Joel Osteen Refuses
to Condemn Abortion and Homosexuality

In the interview, Larry
King threw Osteen another question, asking Osteen about the wicked
and vile sins of abortion and homosexuality. Even lost people take a
stand on these blatant abominations.

KING:
How about issues that the church has feelings about? Abortion?
Same-sex marriages?

OSTEEN:
Yeah. You know what, Larry? I don't go there. I just ...

KING:
You have thoughts, though.

OSTEEN:
I have thoughts. I just, you know, I don't think that a same-sex
marriage is the way God intended it to be. I don't think abortion is
the best. I think there are other, you know, a better way to live
your life. But I'm not going to condemn those people. I tell them
all the time our church is open for everybody.

OSTEEN:
I don't use it. I never thought about it. But I probably
don't. But most people already know what they're doing wrong. When I
get them to church I want to tell them that you can change. There can
be a difference in your life. So I don't go down the road of
condemning.

The word "sin"
in fact occurs in the Bible over 470 times!

Joel Osteen - A Heretic Against the
Natural Law

The natural law is written
on the heart of all men, so that all men know that certain things are
against God's law and that certain things are in accordance with the
natural law of charity, etc.

The natural law is the law
that every person knows by instinct from birth. It is planted by the
Creator in our heart, and everyone – even pagans who have never
heard about God or the true Catholic
religion – receive this gift from God. Examples of sins that
break the natural law and that are easy to recognize are abortion,
murder, rape, theft, pedophilia, homosexuality, slander, lying, and
so on. The conscience always convicts a person who does these things
and thus there can never be an excuse for people who commit such sins.

As the Haydock Bible
and Commentary correctly explains about Romans 2:14-16,

"these
men are a law to themselves, and have it written in their hearts, as
to the existence of a God, and their reason tells them, that many sins
are unlawful: they may also do some actions that are morally
good, as by giving alms to relieve the poor, honoring their parents,
etc. not that these actions, morally good, will suffice for their
justification of themselves, or make them deserve a supernatural reward
in the kingdom of heaven; but God, out of His infinite mercy, will give
them some supernatural graces which if they continue to cooperate
with [and if they continue to be good] they [pagans and unbelievers who
have never heard of God or the Catholic Faith] will get more graces and
eventually be exposed to the Catholic Faith, which they must have to
be saved."

For example, if a
person holds that man does not have free will (which some Protestants teach),
this person would become a heretic because he is rejecting a truth which
all know to be true from the natural law, namely, that man has a free
will. Thus, he is denying a truth all know about man from the natural
law and he is a heretic.

Another example would be
if a person refuses to believe that God is a rewarder and a punisher.
This person is a heretic because he rejects a truth he knows to be true
from the natural law, that God is a rewarder and a punisher of our actions
(see Heb. 11:6).

A large majority of
Protestants today believe in the doctrines of "faith
alone" and "eternal
security." These doctrines contradict both the natural law
and reason which says that every man shall be rewarded or punished
for his deeds. It also contradicts, word for word, the teaching of
James 2 in scripture, which teach that faith without works is dead,
and that man is not saved by faith alone. This person who believes in
faith alone or eternal security (like Osteen, who believes that a
practicing homosexual can attain eternal glory in Heaven) is a
heretic because he rejects a truth he knows to be true from the
natural law, that God is a rewarder and a punisher of our actions,
and that faith alone does not justify a man only, but our deeds also.

Other common heresies against the
natural law is, 1) to deny the existence of God, 2) to hold as
opinion that birth control or natural
family planning (also called NFP) is acceptable, 3) or to hold
that abortion is acceptable or a so called
"human right", 4) to hold that the consuming of mind
altering drugs to the point where the conscience is impeded is
acceptable, 5) or to hold that masturbation
or any other shameful, perverted sexual act, such as foreplay,
is acceptable. To hold any or all of these positions as "acceptable"
or "right to do" would all fall under the category of the
mortal sin of heresy against the natural law, because he who is
guilty of this sin is rejecting a truth which all know to be true
from the natural law, namely, 1) that God exists, 2) that abortion is
murder (of the most innocent too!), 3) that contraception, NFP or
masturbation (which, in addition to being inherently shameful,
unnatural and perverse) deliberately frustrates the natural power to
generate life, and 4) that the consuming of mind altering drugs such
as smoking marijuana is a mortal sin just like getting drunk is,
because when "a man willingly and knowingly deprives himself of
the use of reason, whereby he performs virtuous deeds and avoids
sin... he sins mortally by running the risk of falling into sin. For
[Saint] Ambrose says (De Patriarch. [De Abraham i.]): "We learn
that we should shun drunkenness, which prevents us from avoiding
grievous sins. For the things we avoid when sober, we unknowingly [or
knowingly] commit through drunkenness." Therefore drunkenness,
properly speaking, is a mortal sin." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa
Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part, Question 150, Article
2. Whether drunkenness is a mortal sin?)

Copyright: All videos and articles on our site are free to copy and share for free. Please remember to also include live links to the source of the info.
We are looking for translators who have the skill to make a good translation of important articles for the salvation of souls. We are also in need of translators who can translate Saint Bridget's Revelations into different languages. If you can help us on this important work, please contact us here.
We depend and survive on your donations! Right now, we have spent our savings on advertisements, websites and webhotels in order to warn people and tell them the truth. We have now been forced to start going on social welfare because of this, so if you like our material and want to help us save souls: please pray for us and help us spread it in order to help our beloved brothers and sisters who have not found this information yet.
If you have been graced by God with the means to do so, please support our work. Any donation that you can give is highly appreciated and much needed! Help us help our beloved brothers' and sisters' souls. Your Support Counts! All for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls! Please click here!